Better Off Alone
by BlueFlamedFire
Summary: Paige and Piper have an argument causing Paige to move out of the Manor only to run into the last person she expected to, the deceased Prue Halliwell. Now Paige must help Prue and avoid her sisters so she can reunite the Charmed Ones... Without her.
1. Just A Replacement

**Just A Replacement**

A/N: Okay. I'm here with a new fic. My other fics haven't been updated because my mom threw away my folder with ALL my outlines for my two Charmed fics and I've been having a hard time trying to gather back all the plots a details and the small specifics. :( I'm not sure when those will be updated. Anyhow, I hope you guys like this. Ciao.

Set start of season 4, after 'Hell Hath No Fury' I guess? Cole is not the Source and Paige already moved into the Manor. Other than that, everything onwards is my own plot.

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The night was still and the air was cold. Paige Matthews clenched her free hand, trying to regain its feeling back as she trooped down an empty alley.

"Come on." She said quietly to herself, eyes slowly darting from side to side. "I know you're here. Come out wherever you are."

She stopped in the middle of the alley way as she suddenly felt a certain chill creep into her.

Instinctively, she twirled around and raised her right hand, about to throw the vanquishing potion that she had made but before she could even do it, she was blasted of her feet and was soon soaring through the air.

Paige let out a scream, her hand dropping the vial which crashed to the ground, the contents spilling out. She felt her back collide with something hard, pain shooting up her arm as she fell into heap on the ground. She let out a moan.

"That's what you get when you mess with me." Said a deep voice.

Paige looked up and saw the demon she had been chasing standing exactly where he stood. He looked human enough except for the fact that he had bloodshot red eyes.

"Now, prepare to die _witch_." The demon grinned. "But don't worry, I'll make it nice and slow so that you'll feel every ounce of pain."

Paige carefully got to her feet. She straightened and the demon raised an eyebrow. "Like hell you will." Paige spat.

The demon shrugged. He raised a hand and an electric ball formed, throwing it unexpectedly at Paige who was not prepared. She was hit on her right thigh and she was once again thrown into the air, her back colliding with the wall for the second time. Her body was aching all over as she fell on her hands and knees.

"Ugh." Paige managed as she felt a burning sensation on her thigh. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea." She muttered to herself.

"Now," The demon said, coming up to her. "What do you say we end this?"

"What do you say we don't?" Another voice said from behind, a female voice.

The demon twisted around and his eyes widened. Paige sighed with relief.

Piper stepped closer, Phoebe following suit while Leo stood back, allowing the sisters to do their job.

"The Charmed Ones?" The demon stammered.

"You got that right buddy." Phoebe huffed. "That's our sister you got there." Phoebe pointed to Paige who had managed to sit up.

The demon then grinned evilly. "Well, I guess you'll just have to watch her die." Another electric ball formed in his hand and he got ready to throw it down at Paige.

Paige felt fear spread through her and she let out a gasp, raising her bloody hands to her face. She was engulfed in blue lights and the demon jumped back in surprise.

"What the ..?!" He yelped as the lights disappeared to reveal a very much unoccupied space.

Paige then appeared in front of Phoebe who pulled her up, helping her maintain her balance.

"She's half-whitelighter." Piper informed the demon who stared at Paige with loathing. "And you're an idiot messing with us." Piper raised her hands up and inflicted her powers on the demon, meaning to blow him up to no avail. He only stepped back.

"Uh-oh." Piper exclaimed.

"I forgot to tell you." Paige said weakly. "The only way you can vanquish him is with a vanquishing potion."

"Oh, thanks for telling us Paige." Piper hissed.

"What now?" Phoebe asked desperately.

"We better get out of here." Leo piped.

"No." All three sisters said together. The demon began to walk towards them.

"So what do we do?"

"Nothing." Paige answered.

They all looked to the young witch as if she were mental.

"You want us to die here?" Piper angrily questioned. "After we've saved your ass?!"

"No." Paige shook her head. "Trust me on this."

"Well, well, well." The demon said out loud, catching their attention, stopping a few feet away. "It looks like the Charmed Ones aren't so _Charmed _anymore. I'll have fun telling the whole Underworld of how you came to your demise."

"Not if I can help it." Paige countered. The demon frowned and Paige took a step forward, pulling herself from Phoebe.

"Paige." Phoebe warned.

"What are you talking about, witch?" The demon demanded.

"I'm talking about this. Potion!" Paige called out, her arm outstretched. She made a quick flicking motion towards the enemy and a flurry of blue lights hit him, causing him to scream and wither in pain before blowing up in a majestic red flame.

The four stood in silence for awhile, staring at the spot where the demon had been until Paige let out a sigh and turned back to her sisters and brother-in-law.

"That was fun." She stated, looking down at herself and her injuries.

Her words seemed to snap Piper back to reality. "Fun?" Piper haughtily began. "Fun?"

"Okay Piper!" Phoebe stepped in. She turned to Leo. "A little help with Paige?"

Leo nodded and stepped in between Piper and Paige. "Here, let me heal you."

"No, I'm okay." Paige lied, wincing as she shifted weight from her injured leg to the other.

Piper snorted. "Right."

Leo made a move to heal Paige. "No, Leo, really, I'm okay." Paige gave him a convincing look.

"Paige," Phoebe said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You've just managed to singe your thigh, your hands and arms are bleeding, let Leo heal you."

Piper let out another snort.

Paige closed her eyes and tried to bite back a retort. "I'm okay." Paige said for the third time, opening her eyes. "Look, the demon's dead. Let's just go home and-"

"Is it that easy for you?" Piper asked in a chilling tone, an eyebrow raised. "Cuz I think we could have been nearly killed… um… two minutes ago?"

"Uh-oh." Phoebe muttered. Ever since Paige had come into their lives, Piper and Paige had been arguing with one another, never seeming to agree on anything and it killed Phoebe to see them not get along.

"We're alive, aren't we?" Paige challenged. "And that's one less demon in our life, isn't it?"

"It doesn't work like that Paige." Leo told her. "We don't go after demons unless needed."

"And why exactly is that? Isn't it our job to protect the good from the evil? Wasn't that what I was doing?"

"We don't do it because we don't want to end up dead!" Piper exclaimed. "But you, you seem to have this death wish on you!"

"Well excuse me if I want to protect the greater good unlike you!" Paige refuted.

"And what is that suppose to mean?!"

"Guys." Phoebe voiced. "Guys." She looked to Leo for help who merely shrugged, a worried expression on his face.

"Oh, come on Piper, you worm your way out of vanquishes and everything else we have to do magically!"

"Paige, Piper." Phoebe tried again.

"You have no right to say that!" Piper stammered.

"And why not!?" Paige yelled.

"Because you don't know me!" Piper shouted back. She was visibly shaking with angry.

Paige let out a laugh and shook her head. "No, you won't let me know you! Every time I try to, you push me away, you fight against me and you just push me! You guys just push me away!"

Phoebe's mouth dropped open. "Paige, that isn't-"

"What? True?"

"Well, you aren't Prue." Piper muttered.

"Piper!" Leo admonished.

Paige gritted he teeth. "See. You know, why don't you just say it Piper? I'm nothing to you. I'm just here to make sure that the 'Power of Three' isn't over. A replacement. Other than that I'm nothing because I'm not _Prue_. Am I right?"

Piper looked away but that was enough of a confirmation for Paige who blinked, feeling the onslaught of tears coming.

Phoebe, all the while had been staring at Piper, a shocked expression on her face. "Piper… Tell her that isn't true."

Piper said nothing.

"Piper…" Phoebe turned to Paige, a pleading look on her face. "Paige, come on, that's not-"

"Take me to the Manor." Paige demanded to Leo, ignoring Phoebe.

"Paige…"

"I want to go." Paige firmly stated.

No one made a move.

A tear fell from Paige's eye. "Just take me back already." She hissed angrily.

Leo looked down at the ground and stepped forward. He grabbed hold of Paige's hand and took Piper's arm in the other while Phoebe put a hand to his back. Without another word, he orbed out, leaving the alley way an empty void of sorrow.

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Once they had arrived back at the Manor, Paige let go of Leo's arm and instantly made her way to the stairs.

"Paige!" Phoebe called out. Paige went up the steps as quickly as her injured leg would take her.

Phoebe followed after her, Piper trailing behind.

"Paige!"

"What's going on?" said a male voice. Cole stepped into the room, having come out from the kitchen and looked to Leo for answers.

"Another fight." Leo answered.

"Oh." Cole nodded. "It'll die down."

"I don't know about that." Leo said quietly as he watched Piper and Phoebe disappear from view.

Meanwhile, Paige had already reached her room and had taken out a duffel bag from the chest of drawers and had begun to shove clothes into it.

"Paige." Phoebe repeated, entering the room. Piper stopped by the door. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Paige retorted, she moved to her closet and opened it up, taking various clothing from there and shoving a few shoes in.

"Come on, you're running away? Isn't that childish?"

Paige ignored her.

This time, Piper spoke. "Paige-"

"NO!" Paige whirled around. Her jaws were clenched and she was crying. "You've said what you've needed to say and you've made it clear!"

"I-"

"I SAID NO!" Paige bellowed and Piper closed her mouth. "I've had enough of trying to fit in! I've had enough and I'm done with it! You hear me? Done! I'm not your sister and I'm not a part of this family! I'm out!" And with that, Paige stormed out the door.

Phoebe gave Piper a look and they both went after the younger witch.

"You can't just leave!" Phoebe desperately told her as they descended the stairs.

"Watch me." Paige growled as she reached the bottom step. She made her way to the front door but Cole, who had been waiting downstairs with Leo, grabbed her arm.

Her duffel bag fell from her shoulder with a thud. "Let go of me!" Paige yelled, jerking her arm away. She just wanted to get away from everything. The hurt was killing her and she couldn't handle it.

She picked up her bag from the floor.

"Paige," Phoebe pleaded one last time. "Think about what you're doing. Please."

"I know what I'm doing."

"And what about being a witch?" Cole asked her, hoping it would stop her. "What about being a Charmed One?"

Paige's face contorted with pain. "...I'm done." She replied in a defeated tone.

She walked towards the front door and without a second glance, left her sisters behind.

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A/N: So? What do you think? review if you must. This was rushed cuz I just wanted to post something but next chapter'll be good. Thanks for reading!


	2. The Sister She Never Met Or Did She?

**The Sister She Never Met... Or Did She?**

A/N: Omg. Seriously? Seventeen reviews for one chapter??? I am absolutely dumbfounded! Thats a lot!! Thank you guys:D You actually liked this! So now I'm nervous about this chapter. It might not be that good... Forgive me if it's not! I've been busy! Believe it or not, I entered a pageant to win cash to buy Marie Digby's pre-order album!! Hahaha! Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Anyhow, on with the fic! But first of all, special mention to **Beth(BananaXPanacakes)**! I'm so sorry I deleted all my Grey fics! I got depressed with the fact that all my chapters got erased including the story you were beta-ing for. :(

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Paige gritted her teeth and let out a low whistle as she sat on the sidewalk beneath a lamp post. She was examining her injuries with contempt and disgust.

She had managed to walk all the way from the Manor across town to the deserted back part of her 'used to be' apartment. The truth was, she had never really let go of her tiny dingy apartment and had continued to pay the rent for it even though she had moved in with Piper and Phoebe, her conscience always telling her that she shouldn't and Paige was suddenly glad she had listened.

"Hffffff..." Paige breathed in sharply as she prodded her singed thigh. "Ugh."

Paige made a face then with an air of gloominess, she got up, swinging her duffel bag behind her shoulder only to be tackled to the ground by someone seconds later.

"Get down!"

She fell on her back and her already sore shoulder blasted with a new wave of pain. White stars weaved in and out of her sight as she lay, pinned to the ground. Then, whoever had pinned her, suddenly got up and Paige heard a commotion.

Paige took a moment to recuperate before she put herself in a sitting position. She tried to comprehend what was happening in front of her.

A lady, with her back facing to Paige nearly ten feet away, was fending off a largely built man with the most impressive moves Paige had ever seen. Every time the other person would try to aim for a part of her body, the lady would counterattack causing the man to withdraw and retaliate differently.

"What the hell?" Paige uttered, frowning. She looked closer and gasped as the man suddenly conjured a fire ball. "Watch out!" She yelled out in warning.

The lady whipped her head and Paige met the most intense gaze coming from green eyes, causing her to reel back in shock. "Prue..." Paige stammered.

Prue only gave her a second's glance before she dodged the fire ball and ducked underneath the demons arms, stooping behind him. She produced a silver dagger and with a swift agile movement, dug it deep into the demon's back. There was an agonizing scream and the demon vanished in flames.

Prue quickly caught the dagger in mid air and tucked it out of sight then began to walk towards Paige who sat on the ground, blooded and injured, gaping at the eldest Halliwell.

Stopping right in front of Paige, Prue got down to her knees, concern etched on her face. "Are you okay Paige?"

Paige's ears pricked. Had she heard correctly? She gaped at Prue.

"Paige?" Prue called out again. She put a hand to Paige's leg and the slight touch seemed to jolt Paige back to reality.

"You know who I am!" Paige blurted out.

Prue frowned and opened her mouth but then shut it.

And then another thought hit Paige as she truly realized who was standing in front of her. She felt tears burn in her eyes as she managed to say the two words that had caused her and her sisters' so much pain. "You're dead."

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Thirty minutes later, Paige sat on her bed in her loft as Prue tended to her singed thigh, wrapping it with a thick layer of gauze after having just had it flushed under cold water for a full five minutes.

The two had not said much to one another since Prue had suggested they go to Paige's place and get her fixed up.

And now here they were, sitting on Paige's bed while Prue tended to her wounds.

Over the thirty minutes, Paige had scrutinized Prue's every move and every detail and she had gathered a lot like the fact that Prue had soft hands and that she did everything with a certain grace and care. She also didn't miss the fact that Prue blinked a lot, as if something was in her eyes.

Paige was savoring every minute she had with the sister she never knew.

"There." Prue finally said as she covered the gauze with adhesive tape, patting it down lightly. Prue looked up and smiled at Paige who blushed.

"Thanks." She muttered, averting her eyes.

"You're welcome." Prue peered at Paige's blooded arms and hand. Paige followed her gaze and straightened.

"Oh no, its okay, its just blood." Paige hurriedly said as Prue got up, a wet cloth in her hand.

"Blood does have a source Paige." Prue stated. "Plus it kills to see you like this. You are my sister." She began to wipe at Paige's arm, the blood coming off to show scratches and grazes.

Paige closed her eyes as Prue began to clean her shoulder wound. "You never really explained how you're… alive." Paige quietly said.

Prue took her time answering. "I don't really get it myself." She finally answered. She took a sticking plaster. "All I know is that I was dead…. Then I wasn't. I was just… I was just back here instead of being 'up there'."

Paige felt pressure on her shoulder as Prue stuck the plaster on. Prue then rounded back once more and sat across from Paige, waiting patiently for Paige to ask more questions.

"When did you get back?"

Prue looked thoughtful. "A couple of days ago…"

"So why didn't you go looking for Piper and Phoebe?" Paige asked, simply confused.

"That's the thing.I did try but I couldn't."

"You couldn't?"

"There's probably a catch to being back here." Prue informed Paige. "I've thought about it and the only logical reason I've been able to come up with is that I can't see the people who know me."

"But… But I know you but I'm here with you." Paige pointed out.

"I think it's the people I know and have met but then I'm not sure…"

Paige frowned. "Wait, what are you trying to say?"

Prue looked at Paige, trying to figure her out. "You've never met me before?"

Paige nodded. "Yeah. I think I would have remembered if I had…. Why?"

"Paige," Prue began slowly, unsure how to tell her. "We _did_ meet before. Before I died, I met up with you."

"Wha… What?" Paige stupidly asked.

"I knew I was going to die… And I knew about you… And a few days before I died, I visited you right here, in this place." Prue gestured to the loft. "I actually visited you three times before I died."

"That's impossible!" Paige was mortified.

Prue shook her head. "I went here and you even had an idea of who I was. When I told you I was your sister, you told me you always knew you were related to us. The Halliwells." Prue paused. "Then I told you I was going to die and that I needed you to be there for my sisters… _our_ sisters… I needed you there to help them move on, to tell them I asked you to. You said you would."

"I don't… I don't remember." Paige whispered as tears pooled in her eyes. She could not understand how she could forget something that would have been so important to her. "How can I forget?" She said more to herself than Prue.

Prue suddenly felt uneasy.

"How-How could I forget meeting you?" Paige asked as the tears began to fall. She ran a hand through her hair.

Prue shook her head. "Paige, there's probably a logical reason to this."

It was Paige's turn to shake her head and looked Prue in the eyes. Prue saw the pain and hurt and anger in the young witch's eyes. "I failed you."

Prue's eyes widened. "Paige…"

"Tonight, I _declared _to Piper and Phoebe that I was out. I quit." Paige sobbed. "I told them I gave up and I failed them and I failed you."

Prue swallowed, emotions swirling inside her. It hurt her to see Paige this way. She leaned forward and instinctively wrapped Paige in her arms hugging her. Paige buried her head on Prue's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry I failed you." Paige uttered.

"Shhhh…" Prue soothed her. She put a hand to Paige's head. "You know you could never fail me Paige."

"I wish I could remember when I met you."

Prue smiled sadly and hugged Paige tighter. "So do I. You made me accept my death."

Paige felt another wave of emotion hit her and she cried harder. "I didn't want you to die. Neither did Piper and Phoebe."

"But I had to." Prue whispered. "To save the three of you."

Paige held on to Prue as if she were her life support. "Please don't leave me. Piper and Phoebe are already gone… Please don't go. Stay."

"I'm not going anywhere."

And with her words, Paige closed her eyes, Prue rocking her back and forth, as she fell asleep crying. Paige felt a connection with Prue, a connection she never knew she had and a connection she never knew existed until that moment.

She felt love.

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A/N: Meh. Too short isn't it? And crappy. Oh well. Try for more next chapter. I'm writing this late at night and I have to wake up at five thirty tomorrow. So sue me:D Make my day and review!! Hahaha! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be back for an update soon!


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